Alexey Bolotov has died in the Khumbu icefall at 18,372 feet (5,600 m.).

The details are not clear from the translation. Denis Urubko said [Google translated], "I do not know how to convey this ... today May 15 at 5:00, Alexey Bolotov going to descend on a rope ... on the edge of a sharp rock it has frayed, and Alexei fell 300m down a ravine filled with rock ... death was instantaneous."

After several rounds of acclimatization on Southeast ridge route, Alexey and team mate Denis Urubko had gone down to Deboche village for some rest in the green-zone. Urubko reported “If everything goes as per plan, Bolotov and I will leave Base Camp early in the morning on 15th May.”

Bolotov and Urubko were attempting to do an extremely difficult new route alpine style on the Southwest Face once they had passed the Western Cwm at about 6550m.

What should have been a highlight in the history of climbing on Everest, ended in tragedy. Russian climber Alexei Bolotov fell to death in the Khumbu Icefall. Together with his compatriot Denis Urubko the 50-year-old mountaineer wanted to open a new route via the steep Southwest Face. As Denis said on phone, the rope broke on a sharp edge of rock when Alexei was abseiling. Bolotov fell down about 300 metres and died instantly. He was found at 5600 metres.
Denis and Alexei had announced that they wanted to start for their attempt in the Southwest Face this morning. Within eight days, they planned to climb via a new difficult route to the summit – without high camps, without Sherpa support, without bottled oxygen. „If they are successful in Alpine style, I would be the first to congratulate”, Reinhold Messner had told me in an interview.

Twice Piolet d’Or

Alexei Bolotov was one of the best mountaineers of Russia who had a lot of experience on 8000ers. In 2001 he made the first ascent of 8410-metre-high Lhotse West. A year later, he stood on the summit of Mount Everest, without supplementary oxygen. Alexei was awarded the Piolet d’Or, the climber’s Oscar, twice: as a member of the Russian expedition that firstly climbed the West Face of the 8000er Makalu in 1997, and for the first ascent of the North face of 7710-metre-high Jannu in Nepal. A great climber has died. R.I.P.

My prayers and heart thoughts go out to the loved ones, family and friends of Alexey Bolotov. A man who will leave a huge empty spot for his loved ones, friends and associates. I have lived thru the death of my husband, so I know.

I am not a mountaineer, but have recently become interested in all the facinating exploits women and men have carried out and achieved over the years. I just finished reading Everest: The West Ridge by Thomas Hornbein.

Please correct me, anyone, if I am wrong, but I believe they lost an expedition member on the same icefall as Alexey Bolotov. His name was Jake. He was also killed at the Khumbu Icefall area.

Hornbein writes in his journal 'As we sit here at Base, looking straight into the jaws of the Icefall, we all feel the deep, abiding presence of one of us up there, and all ponder the justice and luck, or the lack of it. But now we all realize the need, for more than Jake's sake, to go on up and finish our, and his climb.'

I only found this and quoted it because (even if I, as a neophyte, am wrong and Jake and Alexey did not die in nearly the same area) the heart of those involved with Alexey with be interwoven with this route and it will be finally done by someone......hoping in A. Bolotov's memory. Peace, Lynne

KATHMANDU, Nepal - The body of Alexey Bolotov, was recovered this morning by Denis Urubko, Lhakpa Sherpa and Damian Benegas and flown to Kathmandu in a helicopter piloted by Simone Moro. It will be returned to Siberia where he lived.